When does the count start?

[Whistling Badger]

Our eggs are supposed to be here today. I know the eggs usually hatch in 20-25 days. Does that start from the day they're laid, or the day they go in the incubator? I hope it's the latter, because I don't know when they were laid!

Thanks!
Tom

 

[Katy]

It's from the day you put them in the incubator. If you put them in before noon, that day counts as day number one. If you put them in after noon the next day is day one.

 

[seriousbill]

Hi Tom. The count starts once you put them in the bator. What kind of eggs are they? Chicken eggs usually take 21 days to hatch. Turkeys take 28. Ducks usually also take 28, except Muscovies, which take around 33-35.

Here's a web page that may help:

http://www.msstate.edu/dept/poultry/avianemb.htm

 

[coffeemama]

I do it by the hour. If I put them in at 1pm, I take them off the turner on day 18 at 1pm.

 

[seriousbill]

Yep, me too, coffeegirl. And my understanding is that's the way the poultry science folks do it too, by the minute. That way, Day 1 is the 24-hour period from the minute you put them in there until the same minute the next day. Gotta put those eggs on egg time, not people time

But seriously, it doesn't matter much if you count the first day as zero and the next day as one like a lot of folks on BYC do. It works okay, but I'm a stickler for precision.

 

[Whistling Badger]

Well, that's good news! Thanks
T

 

[Eggseronious]

The time U put the eggs in the incubator is 0 day tomorrow at the same time is day 1, and so on.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Quote:
I thought to do the same thing when I put mine in on the 19th. Day 11

10 to go

and I just put 6 more in on the 29th. Day 1 for them. 20 more to go

Remind me agin why I am doing this.

 

[Cats Critters]

You do it thechickcrew because you love

chicks

 

[Whistling Badger]

So I'm new at this, but let me guess...it's going to be a really long 21 days, right?

BTW, am I supposed to candle them to see if they're fertile?

T